Governance
“Episcopal” means “bishop” in Greek, and the Episcopal Church is governed in part by its bishops. The basic unit of ministry in the Episcopal Church is the “diocese,” or a region of Episcopalian parishes or congregations.
Who's in charge at St. John's? Like other Episcopal churches, we have an elected body called the Vestry that conducts the business of the parish. It includes the Rector and elected lay leaders.
The Vestry
The Vestry is responsible for the corporate life of the parish, including the budget and financial oversight, authorization of activities within the parish, fundraising, development and maintenance of the building and grounds, and making decisions about staff.
Our Vestry is led by a Senior Warden and a Junior Warden, elected for annual terms. The Vestry members serve for three year terms, with a third (generally 4 new members ) elected at the annual parish meeting in April. The staggered three-year terms ensures continuity. The Vestry elects three officers each year: Secretary, Treasurer, Chancellor (Legal Advisory).
2010-2011 Vestry
- Senior Warden: Earle O'Donnell
- Junior Warden: Sue Rohan
- Secretary: Pat Cascio
- Treasurer: Beth Campbell
- Chancellor: Craig Ulman, J.D.
- Members by Terms
- 2008-11: Jay Mallin, Karen MacRae Smith, Chris St. Clair, Johnna Story
- 2009-12: Don Beckham, Peter Plocki, Leslie Saltsman, Roxy Wyand
- 2010-13: Melanie Folstad, Richard Kessler, Ken Lee, David Maginnes
Meetings of the Vestry
The Vestry meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 8:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Meetings are open, and parishoners are welcome to attend unless the Vestry is in a closed session.
Standing Committees of the Vestry
Committees of volunteers assist the Vestry in conducting church business and maintaining our resources. The standing committees of Finance, Property, Personnel and Stewardship all have Vestry Liaisons.
Parish Bylaws
The bylaws detail rules for governance such as holding annual and special meetings, electing Vestry members and Diocesan convention delegates, and calling a rector and assistant ministers.
Bylaws of St. John's Church, Norwood Parish (amended April 6, 2008)
Beyond the Parish: The Diocese
St. John's, Norwood Parish, is one of 91 congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. Under the leadership of the 
Rt. Reverend John Bryson Chane, the diocese engages in a variety of activities in support of its mission to “build up the Body of Christ by equipping the people of the Diocese, individually and together, to carry out their ministries in the world.”
St. John’s supports the diocese both through financial contributions and the participation of parishioners on diocesan committees.
As part of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, St John's belongs to the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and the Anglican Communion.
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